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November 17, 2017

Photo by Brittany Carvalho

CIDERCRAFT’s 2017 Holiday Buying Guide

By: CIDERCRAFT

The holiday season offers many opportunities to drink and share cider with loved ones. We have compiled picks from throughout the 2017 calendar year in one comprehensive cider guide for your holiday toasting and shopping ease. Give the gift of cider this year!

Thompson Creek Macintosh
This 100 percent McIntosh cider is courtesy of the folks at Apple Outlaw and their estate Thompson Creek Organics orchard. Fresh-pressed McIntosh apples are aged in French oak for a floral sipper that kisses the palate with the classic juicy smack of Mac and hugs with oak tannin and spunky acid. | 7.3% ABV | 750ml | $17

Snowdrift Cider Co. Cornice
Named for the snow formation caused by winter winds, French, English and American heritage cider apples spend time in oak for this low-bubble, semi-dry cider. Bourbon and wood spice flavors meet those of toffee and ripe fruit, finishing with integrated tannins and soft acidity. | 7.3% ABV | 750ml | $17

Virtue Cider The Mitten
A blend of fermented apple is aged in bourbon barrels for nearly one year and back-sweetened with fresh-pressed apple juice for a hit of vibrancy to the flavors of charred-oak, vanilla bean, caramel and succulent apples. Savor next to finger-licking pork belly or washed-rind cow’s milk cheese. | 6.8% ABV | 12oz | $15/4-pack

Vander Mill Too Gold
Grimes Golden, Golden Russet and GoldRush apples are fermented and aged separately in American white oak, then melded together for a cider not shy on the farmhouse aromas of yeast and barnyard funk. Inviting flavors of vanilla, oak and ripe golden apple balance the variety of sensations in the glass, finishing bright and nutty. | 7% ABV | 750ml | $14

Colorado Cider Co. Ol’ Stumpy
Juice from bittersweet, bittersharp and American heritage apples takes on a life of its own after enduring 12 months of oak treatment, four of which were in Chardonnay barrels. Cellared for one year in bottle, the time and consideration taken shows in this bold cider of rounded tannin, rich fruit and savory acid. | 6.7% ABV | 500ml | $10

STILL: Ciders without any carbonation, naturally occurring or added.

Black Diamond Cider Cider Solstice
Handcrafted from the namesake, family-owned orchard in the Finger Lakes, this is a blend of tree-ripened heirloom apples like Roxbury Russet, Chisel Jersey, Brown Snout and more that offer complexity and structure to the bone-dry and crisp cider. Citrus characteristics make it a natural pairing with white fish. | 8.5% ABV | 750ml | $18

BlackBird Cider Works New England Style
Niagara County’s first craft cider producer, apples from this maker come from its nearby estate orchard, and nine of which are featured in this still sipper. A throwback to the New England ciders of yore, the juice is double-fermented in French oak and laced with honey for a full-bodied and fully textured cider. | 9.9% ABV | 750ml | $15

Portland Cider Co. Union Jack
Since one half of this cidery’s founders hails from the United Kingdom, Union Jack is a homeward salute to authentic English cider. Juice from traditional cider apples is slow-fermented and aged for more than a year, resulting in ripe and rich flavors, subtle tannins and a dry, herbal finish. | 6.9% ABV | 750ml | $13

Tod Creek Craft Cider Prospect Dry
A mix of culinary and bittersweet apples from Vancouver Island and throughout British Columbia, with some apples seeing time in Hungarian oak. Balanced and apple-forward, tart green fruits pull power from the acid, finishing juicy and bright. Find some sharp cheddar and enjoy. | 6% ABV | 750ml | $15 CAD

Farnum Hill Ciders 2015 Kingston Black Reserve
A spotlight on the ultimate lead cider apple, this grower-producer allows the fruit to remain center stage as a still, select vintage, dry cider with serious provenance. Acid, tannin and full fruit with flecks of orange blossom and citrus, this cider has nothing to hide and everything to show. | 8.5% ABV | 750ml | $21

Eden Specialty Ciders 2015 Cellar Series #5 Juliette
The story of this cider is romantically detailed on the front label of the bottle like a Shakespearean sonnet, sharing how the 2015 harvest came together during a slow, cold fermentation in old Chardonnay barrels. Juliette’s personality is revealed in shades of gold: delicate apple, Meyer lemon and persimmon rub elbows with fresh acid and mineral. | 6.4% ABV | 750ml | $18

Angry Orchard Newtown Pippin
New York-grown Newtown Pippins are fermented with wild yeast and left unfiltered in this small lot bottling for the cider giant’s single variety series. Subtle, crisp green apple aromatics evolve with air, while the palate stays bright, earthy and dry with a hint of cellar funk for extra character. | 7.7% ABV | 750ml | $20

Dragon’s Head Cider Pippin
Island time meets orchard-based concentration in this small, husband-and-wife-run operation. Only Newtown Pippin goes into the cider, highlighting the purity and grace of the apple. A profile of yeast funk, sharp green apple, smashed lemongrass and melon rind make this a perfect substitute for Vinho Verde and belongs next to shrimp salad. | 6.9% ABV | 375ml | $15

Albemarle CiderWorks Royal Pippin
It’s Albemarle Pippin ‘round here, with a nod to Queen Victoria’s love of the apple behind this cider’s story. Floral, bone dry and crisply clean, this is a drink that finds its brilliance next to food, like citrus-buttered scallops or grilled pork chops with spice. | 8.6% ABV | 750ml | $17

Mission-Trail Cider Co. Dryhard Gold
Fruit growers first, cidermakers as of recent years, this cider is picked, washed and sorted by hand before cold-pressing the Newtown Pippins fermented in this bottle. The cider is expressive with orange fruits, apple blossom, earth and yeast in the nose, sealing the deal with fresh, juicy fruit and a dry, cleansing finish. | 8.8% ABV | 500ml | $12

Citizen Cider Plum Intended
Plum and apple as they should be, whole plums from a nearby orchard are macerated in 100 percent local apples. The coupling is then fermented, using yeast traditionally seen in sake (rice wine). Tiny bubbles marry the clean flavors of the ripe stone fruit and bright apple for a crisp finish. | 6.8% ABV | 750ml | $12

Meriwether Cider Co. Apricot Sage
Juice from Northwest apples is back-sweetened with apricot and seasoned with a house-made tincture of freshly dried sage. This family-run operation specializes in infusions, homing in on the full-bodied, savory and sumptuous flavors of summer in a vibrant and flavor-packed offering. Pair with sharp cheddar and apricot preserves. | 6.9% ABV | 22oz | $8

Colorado Cider Co. Cherry Glider
Tart Michigan cherries are added to this urban cidery’s flagship Glider cider, a semi-dry blend of dessert fruit from Colorado’s booming and blooming Western Slope, as well as from Washington State. A union of flavors from throughout the country, pie cherry couples with lively apple and zingy acidity. | 6.5% | 22oz | $8

Embark Craft Ciderworks Imperial Blizzard
Clocking in at a heftier alcohol weight class, this deep and layered cider is far from heady. Plums and sweet cherries are added to the New York heirloom apple base post-fermentation, resulting in an unctuous and complex cider. Drink next to slow-smoked ribs. | 8% ABV | 500ml | $8

BOTANICAL: Ciders infused with herbs, botanicals or spices, often with additional fruits.

Far From The Tree Cider Patch
A seasonal release from this cidery focused on local apples fresh-pressed, fermented and bottled onsite. Tender, ready-to-eat strawberries and fragrantly fresh basil are added post-fermentation and bring the expected flavors with them for a full-bodied taste of summer in a glass. | 6.5% ABV | 16oz | $14/4-pack

Finnriver Farm & Cidery Cranberry Rosehip
This small-batch seasonal is based on organic Washington apples and fermented to dryness. The finished cider is infused with local organic cranberry juice and rosehips from hedges around the cidery’s home area. Savory, floral and tangy, the apple still pulls through to balance and add depth. | 6.5% ABV | 500ml | $10

Awestruck Ciders Lavender Hops
New York State apples meet their match when steeped with dried sweet lavender and the “three Cs” of hops (Citra, Centennial and Cascade). A botanical and hop-forward sipper, bold apple flavors ease the bitter and floral on the palate for a refreshing and relaxing sip. | 6.8% ABV | 750ml | $10

Seattle Cider Co. Gin Botanical
Spent gin botanicals from an Emerald City distillery are fermented with the juice in this semi-dry cider. Aromatics of juniper, cucumber, citrus and herbs soar in the glass before landing on the palate, finishing clean, refreshing and open to the inclusion of gin for a cocktail spin. | 6.9% ABV | 22oz | $7

Square Mile Cider Rosé
A draft exclusive until June, this pink-colored cider is based on a blend of Pacific Northwest apples with rosehips and hibiscus added for tint and savory tang. Alluring aromas invite a juicy apple palate to explore its savory side, finishing off-dry and looking for some local seafood to pair. | 6.2% ABV | 12oz | $10/6-pack

ROSÉ: Ciders with a pink or rosé hue, derived from the flesh or skin of the apples used.

Alpenfire Cider Cinders
One of two rosé-from-red-flesh ciders from this artisan, estate cidery, the Airlie Red Flesh apple (also known as Hidden Rose) is the solo variety in this méthode champenoise sparkling cider. Fermented to dryness, aged on the lees in bottle and topped with sweetness before corking, this elegant and complex sip could challenge even the finest sparkling wines. | 8.9% ABV | 750ml | $35

Double Shovel Cider Co. Rosé Traditional Cyser
From Alaska’s only cidery, red-fleshed and crab apples from the south central of the state are used in this golden sipper. Wild yeast and bacteria turn the juice to cider, with local honey also taking part in the primary fermentation, all three elements adding complexity and a true sense of place. Sharp and distinct, the apples and earth steal the spotlight with a honey-kissed dry finish. | 6.7% ABV | 750ml | $35

Snowdrift Cider Red
Grower-maker Snowdrift has been working with a variety of red-fleshed apples that claim to only be a few generations removed from the species’ Kazakhstani ancestors. This blend is a historical exhibit of those, both in color and the apple’s versatility for flavor, like juicy strawberry, watermelon and cranberry, accented by brilliant acid. | 7.5% ABV | 750ml | $15

Good Intent Cider Good Charmât
Locally grown crab apples are pressed and fermented twice to achieve natural effervescence — the Charmât method ferments for the second time in tank to produce its lively bubbles. The result is a delicate bubbler, with flavors of raspberry and watermelon, zested with acid in the finish. | 8% ABV | 750ml | $17

Uncle John’s Hard Cider Cider Rosé
One of the first producers to ferment Malus Niedzwetzkyana, the rare red-fleshed apple species, Geneva crab apples and a number of other red-fleshed varieties are also blended in this melon-fruit-forward, gently spiced and floral sipper. Savor the limited bottling with some spicy salami and pepper crackers. | 6.7% ABV | 750ml | $15

Eastman’s Forgotten Ciders The Scarlett Russian
A gentle, softer take on the bold, tart and tannic red-fleshed Russian crab apples grown on the family-run estate, the Scarlett is a subtle and approachable glimpse at the ancient apples used. Striking in the glass, flavors of red berry fruit and earth mirror the color, while tangy apples fill the finish. Pair with summer fruits. | 6.9% ABV | 750ml | $20

POMMEAU-STYLE: Cider-based aperitifs of two-thirds apple juice and one-third apple brandy, aged in oak. Exclusive to France, with North American versions made in its style.

Domaine Neige Neige Noir Ambre du Québec
This annual release is made from the 2011 harvest, freezing the juice from McIntosh and Spartan apples in the following January and collecting that must to be blended with the house eau de vie then aged in oak barrels for three years. Just as complex as the process, the nectar touts brown sugar, almond and raisin with smoke and citrus. | 20% ABV | 375ml | $60 CAD

Westcott Bay Cider Pommeau
From the isles of San Juan, this cidery and orchard sit high above a harbor in its eponymous bay, stuffed with European cider fruit and conveniently located next door to its sister distillery. A delicious nip of robust apple, candied pecans, apricot and brioche, to be consumed chilled and with apple bread pudding. | 16% ABV | 375ml | $32

Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery Pommeau
Another full circle bond, the house brandy is distilled from the house hard cider, the pommeau a coalescence of both. Caramelized golden apple and heady raisin fill the bouquet, with nutty tinges in the back. Same goes for the palate, which seems to beckon for some almond biscotti. | 18% ABV | 375ml | $26